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Princess Charlotte 2nd Birthday Photos

Monday, May 1, 2017

William and Kate have released a new photo of Princess Charlotte today to mark her second birthday tomorrow. As has become the custom, Kate took the photo of her little princess herself at the family's Norfolk home.

This sole image of Charlotte is certainly a change of pace from the photo-sets the couple have released in the past. I don't think we have ever gotten just one single shot of either George or Charlotte. William and Kate usually release a set of 2-4 images.

I do love that Kate has dressed Charlotte in yellow and blue, echoing the color scheme Kate and William wore on the May day they presented Charlotte on the steps of the Linda Wing:

I agree with everyone who has been seeing the Queen in Charlotte. She has been favoring her great-grandmother for some time now, but I still see Carole and Pippa in Charlotte, too! And some specifically William in this little half-smile that Kate captured.

Also, is Charlotte wearing the same bow clip she wore in her first birthday photos? I think we might have a royal recycle!

Happy Birthday, HRH Princess Charlotte!

85 comments:

Lovely picture--I like that it is not posed.She looks so grown up for a 2 year old. I think perhaps it's her hair which looks quite thick for so young a child.Going to have hair like Mummy's.Happy Birthday Charlotte.

What a little darling! I love her sweater with the sheep, it goes with the farm theme of the hay in the background. She definitely takes after the Queen :) I also see a bit of William in her expression, & Carole & Pippa too. She does look quite matured for her age, I was shocked to see how much her hair had grown since Christmas, it looks so thick!

I was wondering whether you know what happened to the Cambridges' official website? It used to be full with info, now the only thing I find is a summary article.

It says that the main Cambridge-related content ist now on Royal.gov, but somehow I cannot really find anything like a Cambridge news site or a calender with their engagements... It seems I am absolutely not up-do-date concerning their online communications. Could you help me with this? Or have there been any news on this in the past?

How adorable! Like everyone else, I can't believe how much hair this little one has. She certainly is a good mix of Middleton and Windsor. Maybe they will release one or two more photos on the day. Or, maybe, since she's two, they can't catch her still enough for more than one!

I agree I'm hoping others are coming. She's super cute it's just an odd pic for a 2 year old. Who everyone says is super spunky and big personality. This photo doesn't capture any of that. Let's see what tonight brings. This is like the one you delete in between all the toothy smiley ones you captured!

Its so hard to get a two year old to be still enough to take a photo let alone get them to smile. I think its a great photo. PC looks thoughtful and wise beyond her years, and like she's got a million better things to do than sit in front of a camera.

Ellen no one in this thread has criticized kids OR Charlotte. It's ok to question the style of photo released. I agree with A that her parents probably see her personality. I personally think it's a weird choice to release publicly. I think she looks super cute, the pic is off IMHO. I think the cropping is super weird not showing a full shot and cutting off whatever she's holding. The hay and sweater makes it look more like fall not a May birthday. If they used professionals they'd get better quality

I wouldn't count on better pictures with the professionals. All of the professional shots of the family have been awful in my opinion. The Christening, the Christmas one etc. I've enjoyed the one's Kate took, much more.

I must agree with Ellen. I am just not sure WHY some have to find fault with everything that William and Kate do even down to their child's pictures. Kate chooses not to employ a professional for what ever reasons. She is a good photographer and the background is NOT the subject. Charlotte is the main focus of the picture and I am suggesting they chose this picture as it most likely portrays her personality. I am just happy that they chose to share any photograph so that we are able to see just how much she has changed and grown since Christmas.

Anon@12:07 - people don't have symmetrical faces. If you saw someone who did, it would make you quesy. That's also why most professional photographers rarely shoot a subject straight on. In any event I found your comment about Charlotte's eyes to be a cheap shot and without a point.

How can it be that even a sweet photo of an adorable little girl, taken by a proud mommy (who actually has a very good eye) cause a dust up?

Just for the record, we have a grandson who is two and there hasn't been a decent picture of him taken in ages. He is spunky, never stops moving, and is always looking somewhere other than the camera. The "you know kids" explanation is as valid as it gets if you really know kids.

There was no reason to pick a picture with this beautiful child grimacing! We saw her laughing, giggling, having loads of fun in Canada. I do not believe for one moment that this was the best picture they could get. Nope. Whatever the reason they picked this one, it was a bad decision.

So stinkin cute. I love it- Kate is so talented with her photography! Do I also detect the half smile of Grandma Diana? She is a fine mix of both families- she'll be a real beauty when's she's all grown up!!!

Adorable. But as my soon-to-be-MD daughter pointed out, one eye is visibly larger than the other (which could mean nothing or which could mean health issues, such as a lazy eye). You don't see it in the shots where she's squinting, only the ones where she's looking directly at the camera—not just this one, but the one from her first birthday, too.

Your comment made me laugh. My family has a trait, when we are stressed our one eye becomes squinty, pinched looking. Very noticeable in pictures if we are stressed. Your daughter would have a field day with us! But we are all OK.

I don't see a problem with her eye, just a grimace. Even in the first year pic, she's fine. For it to signal a problem, it would have to be much more pronounced.

I think Charlotte is turning into a real beauty. Brown hair and blue eyes, stunning combination.

I feel compelled to jump and ask if we all really need to be picking apart Princess Charlottes facial features in this way. Seeking out family traits is one thing but musing about "irregular" features isn't something that happened with Prince George and woykd give me pause before I shared any other photos of my daughter if I were William and Kate.

Her eyes don't seem to be symmetrical, mine aren't either. I also have blue eyes. In outdoor light, my right eye is weaker and mostly closed unless I have sunglasses on. Indoors or at night they are both open the same--unless a bright light is shining in my eyes.

Agreed Anon 2:06 reminds me of how we got in dangerous territory a while ago discussing Lady Louise. I think her right eye being more closed can easily be explained as I see this with so many people in photos - it doesn't necessarily indicate a lazy eye or health issue. I do have an issue with criticizing things that people cannot help. Hair style, clothing, etc fine. But this kind of discussion regarding physical features is not okay with me.

What a cutie! I see mostly Middleton in her face especially around the eyes. With George I thought he looked most like Michael; the eyes, brows, shape of face and his hairline. Now with Charlotte, I see mostly Carol. But I will say that the siblings have a strong resemblance from the nose down. They are growing to look alike. I'm interested in seeing how they grow and mature in their looks over the years.

I was just reading the comments. I have noticed some have not been very nice regarding Charlotte's looks. Complaining about the back ground in the picture. And I read some talking about her eyes, that something might be wrong with Them. I think unless you are a doctor maybe you should keep those kind of comments to yourself. Just my opinion.

I'm wondering if we only got one snap because we'll get a peak into Auntie Pippa's wedding in just a few week's time...Charlotte really is a beautiful child, and I can't wait to see how her personality develops through the years. I so, so appreciate any photos that W+K share with us.

Not sure about that Faith. These kids are direct heirs. More senior royals than other adults in the family. They each have their own regular Scotland Yard PPOs. So hiding them in Norfolk is not an option either. There has to be some public sighting. It's the downside of a public royal life.

I don't disagree with you anon 7:50. Yet, while they should release pictures of the children they really don't have to. I think people should regard these releases as gifts and hold back on any urge to pull them apart critically, or we just might find that these milestone pictures become a thing of the past.

Faith,The royals literally service at the pleasure of the people. Piss the people off and they could get the axe, change of law and they are out. Without releasing pictures and helping to foster the public's affection for them, they will be gone.

To think that they can ignore the public or the need for PR... that's completely wrong. Nothing is ever set in stone for them, they can be gone too.

They might try that Faith but they'd never get away with it. Not in their position. They kind of DO have to do it. The press and public would start grumbling until the grumbles reached a crescendo. They might pull it off for a year, tops, but the outcry would be HUGE. Andrew, Edward, Zara, could do that cos no one really cares as much about seeing their kids! But the future King being hidden away? Not a chance. William knows that or he'd be doing it already! Whatever about the American or intl audience of fans, that's a treat for them maybe, but he first has to answer to the British public. Again, the downside of being the direct heirs. 7:50

I understand all that. I come from the camp that thinks more photos of the children should be released on a regular basis and that photos taken of the children in public spaces ( taken under ethical conditions, of course) should be allowed to go public. However, I recognize that K and W have the ulitmate power in deciding if and when an image of their children is publically released. Of course it would be detrimental to their positions to stop releasing milestone photos of their children. On the other side of the coin, however, is the fact that no other heir to the throne has been raised under this kind of 24/7 social media glare. There has been so muchnasty backlash regarding this photo that articles have been written about it. The Cambridges just may decide that it isn't worth it to put their children out their like that. Would it be unprecedented? Yes. Yet, what is also unprecedented is this public sense of entitlement toward images of these children which is apparently giving a great many people some sort of perceived permission to tear how these toddlers look apart.

But there is a backlash to the bizarre withholding of almost all pictures of the kids. Seeing the monarchs grow up has been standard. It's been forever since we have seen Charlotte. George, as a baby, was seen more on foreign soil than in the UK. You want to be the RF? Than act like one.

What a lovely photo. She is so beautiful just like her mummy. Also, I think most people get a squinty eye when they are tired or stressed but I have noticed this trait on Kate too. My left eye is squinty as I type this! Haha

Charlotte is completely adorable. And, of course, so is George. They are a set of good looking kids.

Comments about her eye, I honest to God do not see anything that some are talking about. And since, I think, George & Charlotte are physically beautiful children, these comments are silly IMO.

What bothers me is, when you leave a comment about a physical appearance that can't be changed, I think of the parents and children that these kind of comments could apply to. If your child struggles in this way, reading that, would be heartbreaking.

My child was recently diagnosed with something. Not physical that can be seen, but still a very serious issue. It could be my child that people are discussing on here... so please think about that. And while the kids can't hear us and probably aren't reading this, how we act in our daily lives does brush off on them.

Would you be snickering about a beautiful little girl's "supposed" (I do not see it) eye problem at your child's school? Behind every bully is a parent who raised them.

And your last sentence says it all, 11:19. I see a photo of a child that makes her parents happy to share because they see something of her personality in it. My favorite photos as a parent weren't always the best but the ones that showed the personality I knew. Now it's the same with my grandkids.

I read an article in the Daily Mail (I know) that said the negative comments on social media about Charlotte's photo have received quite a backlash from others who feel they were cruel and uncalled for. Something I can agree with the DM about!

The brown hair on Charlotte makes us think=Kate and the blonde hair on George makes us think=William...however, the physicla features are another story. Charlotte is so much more William and George is so much more Middleton. Also, I'm loving the "not dressing Charlotte ultra frilly pink" thing. Thumbs up. (Yes, I love the occasional frilly pink thing, but....I think it's important that they give Charlotte other messages, too). Silvia

I know what you mean about hair color but I see more of William in George and more of the Middleton's in Charlotte, it is the noses and eyes I think, but they are both still so young that much can change with jawlines, noses, eyes etc. So we will see.

William and Kate release a new photo of their adorable Charlotte, and one immediate result is that this blog fills with the uncalled-for comments of chronic fault finders! Amazing! Some people believe that they are entitled to pick apart and criticize William and Kate for everything they do. They don’t deserve this treatment, but, at least, they are adults. But, not even their lovely children are safe from these tiresome nitpickers who have an ill-nature inclination to continually and unnecessarily stress faults in others. But, of course, I’m being mean by judging them so harshly, after all, they are only “commenting on fashion and style.” Aha, if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you!

The critical comments that have been made about Charlotte are not about fashion and style and that is why they are over the line. If you can't distinguish the difference between comments about hemlines or hats (comments about fashion and style within bounds for a fashion blog) and comments about a child's facial features (not fashion or style and not appropriate) then I have a bridge to sell right back to you Anon 4:53.

Anonymous May 2, 2017 at 7:09 AM: Did you truly read my entire comment, or did you just pick and choose sentences at random? Anyone reading my comment since the beginning of it, cannot failed to understand that I’m railing against the very inappropriate comments that have been made about Princess Charlotte since the release of her birthday photo. In the past, when I have criticized those who nitpick Kate (too thin, too old, too much hair etc.), I have always been told to calm down, that their comments about Kate are not personal, but only about fashion and style. I, of course, know that it is not true! So that is why in my comment above when I wrote that I was judging them harshly because after all, they were only commenting on fashion and style, I did it tongue in cheek (this is used to imply that a statement is not seriously intended and should not be taken at face value.) I then re-emphasized the non-seriousness of the statement again when I ended my comment with the bridge selling (do you even know what that means?) Wow! Whether willingly or not, I don’t know, but you have certainly decided to completely misread and misunderstand my comment!!!

She is a real mix of Kate and Pippa - I see so much of her aunt in her looks! I find it harder to obviously see the Kate/Pippa mix in George but it must be there because Charlotte does look just like him...

I agree. I think Charlotte looks like Pip! Best-selling author Emily Giffin, a huge royal fan, did a split screen today on her IG @emilygiffinauthor of this picture and Pip, I think they look exactly alike.

Some see the Queen, but I don't. And I wonder if those that see the Queen in Charlotte, do so because they want to, being the Queen and all.

I think Charlotte is really growing into her looks and will be a mix of her Mom and aunt. Adorable too that she has both their middle names, Charlotte Elisabeth.

I am astonished at how much she has grown! She's looking like a little lady! I'm quite envious of her hair, when I was that age, I was just beginning to sprout some little wisps :) She has her mama's hair for sure!

Ever since this picture of Charlotte was released yesterday, I have been appalled by the number of critical comments I have heard and read. This is precisely why William and Kate are very wary of providing images or sightings of their children in public. After the last 24 hours of commenting, if I were them, I would have just made the decision to stop releasing any pictures of the children period. I completely understand their reticence with the media and public. Why can't everyone be grateful that a sweet picture of this beautiful little girl was released, and stop criticizing? Enough is enough. It is particularly cruel to talk about her eyes, so for those of you doing so, please stop.

This is "precisely" why W&K are wary of providing the public with pics of their kids??? Completely false.

They have never said this or even alluded to it. Will is over the top ridiculous about everything. Remember him refusing to even release the name of their dog!?! Until Kate whispered it to a schoolboy. Don't blame the total lack of access to pics of the children on the public. That's insane. Remember the backlash when baby George was seen more on foreign soil than in England?

The overall response to their births, sightings, and pictures has been phenomenally positive. This drama is in William's head, created by his dad and his shenanigans with Camilla which scarred W when publicly disclosed. Lay the blame where it belongs.

Sarah, it might be useful, before you criticize this blog's commenters, to note that the tacky remarks started with, continued, and were repeated by a number of anonymous posters---not any of the regular commenters who post by a an individual name here. I also noticed how quick a few commenters were to continue the eye remarks, although professing to abhor them, on the other blog where you criticized those comments. Just something you may wish to consider before judging this blog. If regular, named commenters had done this, it would have been a different situation. I think both the original eye comment and the anonymous objections to it that kept it going were instigated to make this blog look bad...as a commenter on the other blog emphasized..."the Kate-friendly blog ." An obviously manipulated series of comments on both blogs. :+]

Sarah criticized the comments not the commenters generally and there were comments posted on this blog so your suggestion she do "research" by reading other blogs to put comments on this blog in a timeline is bizarre. She also never said anything about this blog in general. Your own comment strikes me as yet another attempt to take a cheap shot at anonymous commenters because your consider commenters who use a consistent moniker to be superior to those who do not - even though toubappear have forgotten to use your own moniker to sign your 5:44 post. Leave Sarah alone.

I agree. Criticizing a person's comments does not equate to " targeting, bullying" the commenter, as is used as excuse for deleting anonymous comments on at least one other blogJane as moderator does not discriminate against anonymous commenters.ANNonymous-my individual "moniker." :+]

William and Kate release a new photo of their adorable Charlotte, and one immediate result is that this blog fills with the uncalled-for comments of chronic fault finders! Amazing! Some people believe that they are entitled to pick apart and criticize William and Kate for everything they do. They don’t deserve this treatment, but, at least, they are adults. But, not even their lovely children are safe from these tiresome nitpickers who have an ill-nature inclination to continually and unnecessarily stress imagined faults in others. But, of course, I’m being mean by judging them so harshly, after all, they are only “commenting on fashion and style.” Aha! If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you!

My over-riding impression of this lovely little girl is that she's no pushover; her facial expression suggests that just because Mummy wants her to smile doesn't cut much ice, altho she's willing to give Mum a quick halfhearted one if it means getting this nonsense over with ASAP. Then they can get down to the real stuff, like getting Mummy to read to her out of that book she's got...or maybe, having a jump-off in the haystack.

As far as her physical features go, the standout is her hair--lots and lots of it, for her age, and it looks as tho it has had a recent cut and soft curl under, much more flattering than than curling it up and out. And, this is a take on a classic style, sometimes referred to as a pageboy. I like it.

Her eyes are pure Windsor in colour, in size tho, more like the Middletons. Ditto, the shape of the eyebrows. The nose is a bit more difficult, altho it lacks the tendency to droop a bit at the end, so...probably not much like Daddy's or her paternal grandfather's. But whether it's a Margaret-Elizabeth nose or a Kate-Pippa nose remains to be seen. Her ears mimic her mother's. Her lips mimic her father's. The shape of her face is, as of now, square, a factor which leads many to think she resembles Pippa, but, the finished bones of her face can't be determined yet; facial bone structure changes over time; she could easily end up with a long face like her Dad's .

My hope is that her hair will thicken and that she won't develop her father's overbite--that, in fact, she will take more after her mother than her father, in general, regarding same.

In her baby pics I saw Carole and Pippa. In later pictures at a distance--where she is smiling, I think Princess Charlotte looks like the Queen, and Lady Sarah Chatto. In closeups like this one, I see Prince William's eyes, nose, and mouth--based on his similar baby & toddler pics.

Then I ran across this young passport picture of Princess Diana, and I go hmmmm.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/430445676866852937/

Little Charlotte's looks are all over the place for me. But I know from experience having 25 nieces & nephews, and 41 grand-nieces & nephews, that kids grow and change throughout their lives. One family trait will be prominent for a time, then it's replaced by another, until they're grown into a look that's all their own.

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Welcome to the blog! I am Jane Barr and I write From Berkshire to Buckingham. I am an American Anglophile-Francophile (Yes, they can co-exist. :)) I have been following Kate since she began dating William at St Andrews. I began the blog in my favorite Starbucks while living in Los Angeles, CA, just before William and Kate married. Watching the royals with the wonderful FBTB community has been an absolute pleasure, and I hope you come back often to follow the royals with us. You can find more details on the Welcome and About pages. Follow me on Twitter, @HRHKateBlog for breaking royal news, analysis, and blog updates.